


one, two, baby steps

by likeuwuahh



Series: coms [7]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: College AU, Exes to Lovers, F/F, Lecturer Jihyo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-11-15
Packaged: 2021-01-31 05:24:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21440938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likeuwuahh/pseuds/likeuwuahh
Summary: with tzuyu's usual lecturer out of action for personal reasons, a new 'hot' lecturer takes over their class for two weeks. it just so happens that this new lecturer, happens to be tzuyu's ex, park jihyo
Relationships: Chou Tzuyu/Park Jisoo | Jihyo
Series: coms [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1321268
Comments: 2
Kudos: 122





	one, two, baby steps

**Author's Note:**

> com for confusedandazed

Tzuyu blocks out the gasps and gossiping whispers as she heads to her class. She doesn’t want to hear any of it. But it’s increasingly difficult when her own friends are going on about it beside her too. Who is this new lecturer that has everyone’s attention? There’s a crowd in front of her lecture room, half of the students not even in her lecture.

“Why’s everyone gathered around?” Tzuyu looks to her left, Dahyun doesn’t seem perplexed about the crowd.

“Were you even listening to what we were saying? The ‘hot’ new lecturer is teaching us. They probably all came to peek at her or something. She’s in for a few weeks only but apparently she’s really smart and only a few years ahead of us. It was a favour asked by a friend of hers or something.” Dahyun rolls her eyes as she pushes through the crowd, trying to get to the door.

The explanation is more detailed than Tzuyu expects but she’s not shocked. Word travels around fast in college, especially when it involves lecturers and tutors.

They push for a few minutes, yet don’t quite reach anywhere. “How about the back exit. Surely, they don’t know about that.”

“Well–”

“If you’re not in this lecture for this hour, move away right now.” A voice booms from the doorway of the room. The chatter from the students comes to a halt.

Tzuyu’s steps falter. She hesitantly turns around, fear clogging up her throat. The familiarity of the voice can never be lost and Tzuyu remembers _everything_ about the person. As soon as she gains sight of the woman, Tzuyu’s mind rewinds the tape of their past, flashes of happiness and joy sending her back to a place she didn’t think she’d step foot into again.

She had to have the luckiest fortune.

Of course, the new lecturer had to be Tzuyu’s ex, Park Jihyo.

Their eyes lock and Tzuyu hates that she still knows her so well, still picking up on the glint of recognition in her eyes. She masks her own reaction, a skill she’s been able to perfect ever since their break up.

The students shuffle away, united groans of disappointment echoing down the hall. Tzuyu keeps her head down as she enters the lecture room, following Dahyun’s head as she picks a seat. Her mind is filled with confused thoughts, floating her attention away from the present.

“Hey, you okay Tzu?” Elkie taps Tzuyu’s shoulder, eyes screaming concern.

Usually, Tzuyu would shrug of her friends’ worries but this going to engulf her whole if she doesn’t talk about it.

“She’s Jihyo.” Tzuyu tilts her head in the lecturer’s direction. Elkie’s mouth hangs open immediately, being aware of the name, but not the story. “She’s the one who broke up with me because of studies. It’s difficult seeing her here again. Back then, I was convinced we’d be able to get through it together. She was two years ahead of me in school. But, she decided for us that it wasn’t the case and made the choice to break up. It felt like she gave up on us completely.”

Elkie looks as if she’s about to say something, but Jihyo speaks over the crowd and everyone becomes silent. Tzuyu refuses to look up. Looking up means offering her heart a chance to succumb to Jihyo’s gaze again.

“Good afternoon everyone. My name is Park Jihyo and I’ll be your replacement lecturer for the following two weeks while your usual presenter is absent.” Jihyo introduces herself to the cohort confidently. “Before I begin, I want to address the issue of the crowds loitering outside my door. If you stand outside when you’re not meant to be attending the class, I’ll be sure to inform the Dean. And, if you’re not meant to be in this lecture, please leave now.”

Approximately ten students stumble to leave their seats, scrambling out the door while the rest of the class shake their head in disappointment.

Tzuyu lets her mind wander, tuning out Jihyo’s voice from her senses and mind. She fiddles with her fingers, giving her a welcomed distraction from the room. She knows she should be making notes for the subject but she can’t bring herself to listen to Jihyo when it stirs up a lot of feelings she wants to keep them dormant.

(but, dormant feelings can become active again)

As Jihyo finishes her lecture, Tzuyu basically bolts out of the door, not wanting to spend another second in the room. She takes in the fresh air outside greedily. The blur in her mind clears and she’s okay again.

/

Tzuyu’s friends both pester her for the following few days, whispering silly things like apparently Jihyo kept staring at her throughout the lecture. She shrugs their words off, not letting it sink into her mind even though she _really_ wants to believe them.

She has no reason to.

Her heart may betray her, but Tzuyu’s mind will not.

But still, what her friends said lingers in her mind when she sits down for the next lecture. Elkie is right beside her again, keeping her company and keeping her calm. This time, Tzuyu’s attention flicks between her paper and Jihyo. Perhaps her friends had been right when they’d said that Jihyo glanced her way every so often.

Because every so often, she feels someone staring at her but when she looks up, Jihyo immediately looks away. Tzuyu turns to Elkie for confirmation, who nods, clarifying her observations for her.

It stifles her.

Why is Jihyo doing this to her heart all over again. She’s going to be gone in two weeks but it’s as if she wants to say something to Tzuyu.

(the next time Tzuyu looks up, she catches Jihyo staring back)

/

Things get easier for Tzuyu the following week. It’s Jihyo’s final few lectures so she takes it as a good thing that she’ll be free from the mental exhaustion over the previous seven days. Her classmates don’t seem to share the sentiment – too smitten by Jihyo in the few lectures she’d given. Tzuyu doesn’t really blame them when she was in the same spot as they were, all those years back. Jihyo stole her heart from the moment they met.

Sitting at the back of the lecture room, Tzuyu’s eyes remained glued onto Jihyo’s back. Maybe her heart is seeking her out again. But is it really what she wants?

“Tzu, you should talk to her. This is your last chance. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you’ve been considering things. What will you lose by talking to her? Granted, things didn’t work out and you broke up. You were younger then and you never let her explain. Talking helps clear things out. I know you can do it.” Elkie chooses to offer her some advice.

“I can’t think about it now. She’s teaching me.” Tzuyu shakes her head in denial.

“Now, you’re just making excuses. This is her final lecture. She’s not going to be around anymore.” Elkie rolls her eyes, clearly disagreeing with Tzuyu’s response. “I’m not forcing you to talk to her. I just think, there’s unresolved feelings that should be sorted.”

“I’ll think about it.” Tzuyu responds curtly. She doesn’t quite know where she’s heading when she thinks about Jihyo.

Limitless possibilities. Limitless outcomes.

Which one, is the right one?

(she chooses to talk to Jihyo after the lecture finishes)

/

Four weeks later, Tzuyu walks into a coffee shop, searching for a familiar head in the bustling café. She sends a message to her invitee, who pops her head out from the seat she’s been sitting at immediately.

“Seriously, for a moment, I really thought you weren’t going to come.”

“I did say that we should give this a try. Have a little more faith in me Ji.” Tzuyu pushes Jihyo’s forehead with her finger. “My mom kept fussing over me before I left. That’s why I ended up being late.” A tint of red spreads over her cheeks.

“I would’ve waited longer, you know. You’re worth the wait. After the way I ended things, I didn’t think that you would want anything to do with me anymore. And when I saw you in the lecture room, it just hit me tenfold.” Jihyo sighs as she slides into a seat opposite Tzuyu. “I ran from the relationship and it was my biggest regret–”

“Ji, remember we said we’d focus on the present?” Tzuyu cuts off her rambling, placing her hand over her mouth. She takes it away when she senses Jihyo has something else to say.

“You’ve just… I feel like you forgave me too quickly and it bothers me. Why aren’t you mad?” Jihyo’s shoulders sag, distraught by her feelings.

“I followed my heart, not my mind. My mind was mad. But, my heart? We both know that you’ve always had it.” Tzuyu smiles at her, eyes shining with long lasting love.

“And, you’ve become cheesier. Who taught you all of this stuff?” Jihyo whines.

They both laugh at the comment, Tzuyu shaking her head. Of course, Jihyo is able to make her laugh and make fun of her together.

She reaches over the table to hold Jihyo’s hand in hers. “Let’s take small steps this time.”

Jihyo relaxes in her seat, nodding at Tzuyu’s words. “We’ll work it out, slowly.”

**Author's Note:**

> @likeuwuahh on twitter


End file.
